With Love, Men

Episode 14: Commitment, Celebration, and 10 Years of Messy Friendships

Jake Fishbein & Nick Papadopoulos Episode 14

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 44:18

In this episode of With Love, Men, co-hosts Jake Fishbein and Nick Papadopoulos celebrate The Men's Group: A Novel of Messy Friendships hitting Amazon Bestseller status with a 4.9 rating — and dig into two things men often struggle with: commitment and celebration.

Jake opens up about why so many men, himself included, struggle to feel their achievements are ever "enough," tracing it to a cultural story that ties men's worth to what they provide rather than who they are. Nick reflects on staying committed to their "North Star" through ten years and ten drafts, and the pair unpack why presence — not just accomplishment — is what actually lets men grow from an experience instead of just moving on to the next thing.

🔑 Topics Covered

  • Why celebrating milestones matters — and what gets in the way for men
  • Committing to a person vs. committing to a project
  • Why doubt creeps in even amid clear success
  • The "buy-in" for commitment: being willing to risk failure

💡 Reflective Prompt: Where are you moving to the next thing before letting yourself celebrate what you just built?

📍 Links + Resources

  • Novel: The Men's Group: A Novel of Messy Friendships — now an Amazon Bestseller
  • The Arena Men's Group

💼 Connect: Jake Fishbein & Nick Papadopoulos

With Love, Jake & Nick